When I Learned I Was A Writer

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Yes, I hated English class. All the way from Middle School through College. That didn’t mean I didn’t like to write. As demonstrated by my 10th grade novel, I treated writing as a form of teenage rebellion. Teenagers must rebel, and it’s a lot safer using a pen than some other tool.

Truth be told, I wrote constantly, especially when I wasn’t supposed to. I even used English class as an excuse to write. It’s called “free writing” or “stream of consciousness writing.” It’s the kind of nonsense writing that fills journals.

In December of my senior year in high school, my father gave me an appointment book. It wasn’t as fancy as the ones they have now. His company (Hartford Insurance) printed them up for their employees. My father must have had an Continue Reading “When I Learned I Was A Writer”

What Are The Best Opening Lines For Letters To Editor?

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Do you have a rant? Is there someone or something you want to rave about? Or maybe you have a new idea that you just want to share with the world.

What’s the best way to let your voice be heard? A way that gets the most substantive “views” over time. A way that endures. A way that never faces the risk of getting cancelled.

Sure, the quickest way is to just blab it all through your favorite social media account. But how do you know how many people will really see it? Even putting it on your own blog doesn’t guarantee eyeballs. Unless you’re an expert on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), chances are your thoughts will make the same sound as that proverbial tree that falls in the forest when no one is around.

There’s a better way. It’s a way used for centuries. It’s a way that’s proven more effective Continue Reading “What Are The Best Opening Lines For Letters To Editor?”

You’re Either Living In The Past Or Living For The Future Because The Present Doesn’t Really Exist

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Photo by Wyron A on UnsplashYou’re either living in the past or living for the future because the present doesn’t really exist.

OK, that sounds a little harsh. Allow me to offer something a bit more palatable.

You’re either living in the past or living for the future because the present is a moment that lasts but a quick instant.

Think about it. It takes a lot of effort to constantly live in the present. It’s a constant churn to live for the day every single day. I suppose if you’re a hedonist, it might be a tad easier. Still, even then, you’ve got to be numb to withstand the constant movement of the Continue Reading “You’re Either Living In The Past Or Living For The Future Because The Present Doesn’t Really Exist”

Why You Should Tell Bad Jokes

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Let me clue you in on this from the very beginning: this is another business metaphor. I’m telling you up front this time so you can begin to think about the connections from the moment you start reading it.

I was strolling through the National Comedy Center in Jamestown the other day, taking in with delight the many funny people who have entertained so many for so many years, when a thought struck me. Why do good comedians tell bad jokes?

When a comic sits down to write gags, it becomes an exercise of no-holds-barred brainstorming. This is by necessity. You don’t know what’s really funny while you’re creating it, so you don’t want to restrict yourself in any way.

James Mendrinos, in his book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Comedy Writing, writes: “You have to force yourself to stain the pages, even if you think the jokes aren’t your best work. I’m not saying that bad jokes are better than no jokes. I am saying that if Continue Reading “Why You Should Tell Bad Jokes”

How To Be A Successful Writer (In Five Easy Steps)

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To begin with, most people ask the wrong question.

This doesn’t happen too often locally, but because I also write for national publications, I often get this question: “What do I need to do to become a good writer?”

This question comes in many flavors. For example: “How can I become a better writer?” “What should I do to improve my writing?” “How did you learn to write so well?” That sort of thing.

These are all the wrong questions. Their common mistake: they all assume good writing is the key.

Here’s what most people (and most writers) don’t realize. There’s a difference between Continue Reading “How To Be A Successful Writer (In Five Easy Steps)”

Should You Go Wide or Go Deep?

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Remember a couple months back when I said I discovered a way to add more hours to my day? (If you don’t, here it is: “That Time I Discovered ‘Idle Time’ Doesn’t Really Exist,” Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, March 14, 2019). With all that rediscovered time I was able to explore a dusty section of unread books in my expansive library. (And by expansive, I mean… Wait. Forget it. It only gets Betsy mad.)

I began this new venture by perusing an entire series of books from the pens of the greatest copywriters. These books defined the advertising industry as it emerged from the 19th century into the 20th. They represent the primordial tracks from which Madison Avenue men evolved. They spawned a persuasive style that combined art and science into an effective (sometimes too effective) tool.

By “art” I refer to the words that effectively captivate and motivate the reader. But how do the words work as intended?

That’s where the “science” comes in. Today we call it “market research.” Claude C. Hopkins, acknowledged as perhaps the greatest copywriter, called it “scientific advertising.” His book by the same name (published in 1923) shows how an ad means nothing unless it stimulates its audience to act. He not only wrote the ads, he studied how Continue Reading “Should You Go Wide or Go Deep?”

This is What’s Preventing You from Saying that “Something Important” You Want to Let the Whole World Know

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You have something important to say. Admit it. You’re not different than anyone else. We all have something important to say. Your “something important,” though, is different than everyone else’s. Yours is unique. Yours has never been said by anyone else at any other time in history. How can this be? The answer is simple: there’s only one of you, only one of you to ever exist, to think what you think, to discover this thought, idea, solution – this “something important” – in a way no one else could have possibly done it. You are unique. That makes your “something important” unique. And that’s why Continue Reading “This is What’s Preventing You from Saying that “Something Important” You Want to Let the Whole World Know”

How to Convince Everyone You’re Really Smart (Without Actually Doing Anything Really Smart)

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Confirmation bias is a terrible thing to waste. So don’t.

If you’re the least bit curious about what I just said, then this column is written just for you.

Dilbert creator Scott Adams’ recent book Win Bigly defines confirmation bias as “the human tendency to see all evidence as supporting your beliefs, even if the evidence is nothing more than coincidence.”

Have you heard the expression “First impressions are lasting impressions?” A simple explanation shows the truth of this adage. It goes like this:Continue Reading “How to Convince Everyone You’re Really Smart (Without Actually Doing Anything Really Smart)”

Newsroom Pros Reveal Candid Truth About Media Bias

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The panel included the Managing Editor of one of the leading national daily newspapers, the Washington Bureau Chief of a well-known wire service, the Chief Content Officer of a multinational mass media company that publishes hundreds of magazines, including perhaps the most popular newsweekly, and the vice president of content and news for a daily news broadcast on a large subscriber-based cable network. The topic, loosely organized under the title “Journalism in the Age of Trump,” drew a roomful of national business writers and editors, as well as several students from the Journalism school hosting the event.

Though billed as a discussion on “Fake News” and “Virtual Reality,” the commentary quickly turned to media bias. These newsroom pros were surprisingly candid. The Managing Editor bluntly revealed what we all suspected: Journalism today tends to attract those from only Continue Reading “Newsroom Pros Reveal Candid Truth About Media Bias”

RIT’s Self-Publishing Advisor Tool

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We’ve written before (“University Offers Free Tools for Authors,” July 6, 2010) about the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) superb author resource Open_Pushing_Guide_logo copy_300called the Open Publishing Guide (OPG). As part of RIT’s commitment to an Open Source approach, when solutions are developed, the university releases them to the public free of charge through the OPG lab’s web-site http://opg.cias.rit.edu/. The site includes reference sources, public domain graphics and a whole slew of other interesting and extremely useful tools.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of OPG resides in its “Self-Publishing Advisor” tool. This on-line application helps an author narrow the list of print-on-demand (POD) service providers to the most appropriate ones. I’ll  show you how it works by using an actual Continue Reading “RIT’s Self-Publishing Advisor Tool”

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